title: The EuroSIDA study: Regional differences in the HIV-1 epidemic and treatment response to antiretroviral therapy among HIV-infected patients across Europe--a review of published results.
abstract: EuroSIDA is a pan-European observational study that follows 14,265 HIV-infected patients from 31 European countries, Israel and Argentina, of which 2,560 are patients from eastern Europe (EE). The study group has performed several analyses addressing regional differences in the HIV-epidemic across Europe, where all countries were divided into five regions: south, west central, north, east central Europe and EE. Significant regional differences in patients' characteristics and pattern of AIDS diagnoses were documented. More patients from EE were diagnosed with tuberculosis compared to other regions. Significantly fewer HIV-infected patients in EE, who fulfilled the criteria for starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), actually received cART as compared with other regions of Europe. Those, receiving cART in EE had a lower initial virologic response rate irrespectively of the regimen used, although it has improved within years. Besides, treatment failure was more common in this region. Thus, improvements in the clinical management of HIV patients in EE are urgently needed. Strategies include creating scientific collaborations for HIV clinicians as well as teaching clinicians about the most advanced HIV management at clinically oriented courses held in eastern Europe.
authors.affiliation: Copenhagen HIV Programme, University of Copenhagen, Denmark. dpo@cphiv.dk
authors.forename: Daria
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Podlekareva
authors.forename: Wendy
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bannister
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mocroft
authors.forename: Ludmila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Abrosimova
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Karpov
authors.forename: Jens D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lundgren
authors.forename: Ole
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kirk
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents